Always Leave Them Laughing

What surprised me most about this movie were the few moments watching Ruth Roman doing some fancy dancing. As my old girl friend used to say -- "I didn't know you had it in you." Miss R usually plays it straight, and always well. I have no idea why she was not used more often in song-dance roles.

She looks good, acts good. And, the ever lovely Virginia Mayo was excellent as an opportunist. I'll watch her anytime so, don't hold the Mayo.

The star, obviously, was Uncle Milty who was admired by all the critics, with the exception of one sourpuss. As another reviewer pointed out many of the comedians excelled in straight roles. In this movie, the Unc alternated between very funny and very serious, but always convincing.

The Cowardly Lion was his usual self, and there's not a thing wrong with that.

I would have enjoyed more skits but this flick was not a review. There was a good story attached. The movie always left me laughing, except when it was not supposed to.

Robin Williams, Tom Hanks, and Jack Lemon. I bet you can think of others.

Unfortunately, Berle ain't one of them. Bert Lahr doesn't do so well either.

It is great to see some of his old acts but some of them don't hold up.

There are a couple of reasons why lovers of musicals on the silver screen might want to watch this old stinker, none of them having to do with its quality as a film. One is the musicals numbers themselves, of which there are many, including great old standards by Harry Warren and George Gershwin. The other is to watch the unbelievably corny shtick performed by Milton Berle and Bert Lahr. It's hard to explain Berle's popularity as a television pioneer; his jokes and routines reek of someone who wants to be the life of the party but ends up being just annoying.

I happened upon this film by accident whilst I was channel surfing. Having never seen "Uncle Milty" in an acting role before I just had to stop and watch.

While this films story is one of those behind the scenes show biz stories of a comic trying to get into the big time, what I found to be absolutely fascinating was the character of Rene played by Iphigenie Castiglioni in what can only be read as a very, very lesbian night club owner for whom Berle auditions doing a comedic routine playing the piano and singing Miss Otis Regrets, a song written by the very gay Cole Porter.

The nightclub owner Rene with her mannish hairstyle, tuxedo (worn during the day!) and long, long cigarette holder with her aperitif is the quintessential gay stereotype for the era. How the combination of Rene in her garb and the suggestive Cole Porter song got past the censors is beyond me, but I am sure it was quite appreciated by gay audience members as an acknowledgment of their presence in show business.

Probably not intended as such in 1949, in retrospect this film shows an interesting juncture between old time show biz and the imminent influence of television, which changed everything. The film captures some fascinating relics of an earlier time, such as Bert Lahr reprising a famous burlesque-type routine of his from the early '20s. Milton Berle excels in acting out all sorts of comedic styles and formats then in vogue or already seen as passe. Despite its chirpy title song, the film has a surprising toughness and unsentimentality for its era (witness the happily cruel "Men's Club" scene). Recommended for those into show biz history, and also a great way to see some genuinely funny stuff.